She Who Seeks
by R.Firefly
Summary: The alien-teacher was the bait. He will eventually come, and she will finally have her revenge. Until then, she must be patient. However, what initially started out as a simple plan had grown into something enormously complicated. Self-Insert GEN
1. Prologue

**Summary: The alien-teacher was the bait. _He_ will eventually come, and she will finally have her revenge. Until then, she must be patient. However, what initially started out as a simple plan had grown into something enormously complicated. Self-Insert OC-centric GEN**

 **Disclaimer: Assassination Classroom belongs to Matsui Yuusei.**

 **Warning: Mild Violence, No Pairing (Tentative)**

 **Genre: GEN, Action, Friendship**

 **A/N: The story revolves around Saki and her quest for revenge. It mostly centers on her budding (?) friendship with her classmates. There will be little or no romance. If there is, it will not be largely focused. But, I may tease you sometimes, giving a fluff here and there. \\(^o^)/ I'm not sure who'll the male partner be though. Karma or Nagisa? …Asano? It's so hard to choose!**

* * *

Prologue

"Oh, I didn't know there would be a child."

A 7 year-old girl in a white one-piece was crouched in the corner of her bedroom, her arms wrapped around her knees. Tresses of her long, wavy hair cascaded down and framed her petite face. She blinked a few times, blinded by the sudden light. When her eyes became adjusted to the brightness, she stared blankly at the slender man leaning on the doorway. A pleasant smile was present on his youthful face.

"The informant either lied to me or he himself mustn't have known," said the man, his voice velvety rich and smooth. His face adopted a thoughtful look. "Depending on which, I'll kill him. I don't take kindly to being lied to, although failing to retrieve accurate information is also a grave crime."

He turned to the girl, smiling. It wasn't warm or dark; instead, it was hollow. "No matter, you'll be dead in the end." He pulled out a revolver and slowly raised it.

The girl's gaze fell upon his shoes (his blood-soaked shoes). _He killed them. He killed the monsters._ She tilted her head. "Are you a demon, mister?"

 _Something much worse, little girl._

But then the man paused, his expression turning mildly curious. He took in her unfrighten gaze and her equally unfrighten voice. Slightly puzzled, he lowered the gun. How curious… All of the adults and children he had met would ooze with fear and desperation at the sight of a weapon and the vision of their own death. This child, on the other hand, had a different reaction.

"What do you do if I say yes?" he inquired, intending to play along for a bit. He started towards her, his strides languid and graceful. He left a trail of bloody shoeprints across the carpet.

She watched him draw closer and stand before her all the while emit a small amount of killing intent he'd normally kept suppressed. The air around him thickened with pressure. There was no change in her expression. He didn't detect any emotion on her face, something that was impossible for him as God of Death. He was intrigued.

"If I sold my soul to you, will you fulfill my wish?"

His smile slowly turned from hollow to amused.

"That is a heavy exchange," he commented idly.

He hid the gun away and got down on one knee, wanting to see her up close. He noticed a nasty bruise on her collarbone area and several on her arms. There were probably more but hidden.

She's been abused, he thought. Memories of his life during childhood suddenly raced through his mind. He didn't notice his smile slipping.

The child didn't appear to notice his keen, analyzing gaze on her body. She pushed forwards, her hands touching the floor for balance. Her nose brushed against his, drawing his attention; her eyes ( _Hmm? They're green)_ momentarily flashed something fierce and pierced into his. Abruptly, he was hypnotized.

"I want to be free."

Her words had some kind of strange power over him. Something in his belly pinch and lurch. It was an inexperience he'd never felt in his life. It didn't exactly displeased him though.

 _Strange… she somehow reminds me of… me. Only a little._

An idea became to cultivate in his mind, growing wildly and spreading like a virus. It was something he'd never thought of or he would do in any circumstances but strangely he was thinking of it now.

A whim. He'd taken whims before, he thought absentmindedly. But not something of this scale, the voice in the back of his head whispered.

He pulled back and got back on his feet. A laugh escaped him. The man was amused with himself. Funny how he had initially thought this day would be like any other, only to come to this.

"What is your name?"

.

.

.

There was a pause. The child traced her fingers over her stomach, as if writing something, as if considering.

"…Saki."

"I see." He knew that wasn't her real name but made no attempts to call her out. After all, he had forsaken his long ago.

The man smiled kindly, holding out a hand. He knew children needed to be reassured so he plastered on one of his fake smiles. But, something told him she already saw through it.

Saki gently placed her hand (a lot smaller compared to his) onto his palm, and he grasped it, pulling her up. A look of slight wonder passed over her face. It was the first physical contact that didn't leave her scarred or bruised. His hand was cool. And she could not feel warmth of his touch but at least it was something.

Still looking at their joined hands, she murmured, "And yours?"

His eyes glinted with a dark sense of humor. "I might not be a demon but I'm known as the God of Death, the world's greatest hitman. But you may refer to me as your teacher. Come, child. Let's get out of here. My business is dealt with. There is so much to see. But first you must learn. I have lots to teach you.

 **Your freedom is just starting**."

Now... time to have a little talk with that informant.

* * *

End Notes – So… Is it to your liking? If so, I'm glad. If not, oh… well I can't say I won't be disappointed. But I will try hard to make this story more likeable.

For the people who haven't reach Ch. 134 you may not know who previously held the title God of Death. I don't want to spoil it to you so it's your choice to google it up or not. But if you're going to continue reading this story, eventually you'll find out sooner or later.


	2. Introduction of Kobayashi Saki

**A/N: Thank you, readers, for favoriting and following this story. I also appreciate the reviews.**

 **Disclaimer: The ownership of Assassination Classroom does not belong to me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Introduction of 'Kobayashi Saki'**

" **Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell."** **  
** **―** **Edna St. Vincent Millay**

* * *

 _She was watching a group of children chasing each other in the playground from her seat on the bench planted next to cherry blossom tree. They were squealing and laughing as they ran, a pure look of happiness on their faces. Their innocence was evident and bright. For the umpteenth time, she wondered how such a childish activity could bring forth such feeling. How are they able to feel so fully and not her? What makes her different from them?_

 _The child tried to think of a time when she felt truly happy. It was hard because the memories of her life in confinement_ (the occasional visits from the monsters – _shudder –_ and the silent presence of maids – _they didn't help me… theywatchedtheyonlywatched_ ) _were still fresh in her mind even though it'd been almost four months since her departure. She was still getting used to the outside world. Maybe she never had experienced happiness. The life she'd spent there wasn't a joyful one._

 _She touched her stomach, her thoughts turning dark._

" _Saki."_

 _Saki blinked. She looked to her right and found her teacher standing next to her. Throwing the morose images aside, she got on her feet. She took a quick glance at her watch before saying, "I'm awfully disappointed in you, Sensei. You told me to be always 'prompt.' Never too early or too late, exactly on the clock. It's past the time we agreed on. Now, what kind of teacher breaks his own rule when he is trying to install it into his student? There must be a penalty for that."_

 _God of Death raised an eyebrow. "You're sure getting cheekier by the minute, Saki." Her vocabulary was developing rather quickly, he noted. Then again, it was a given since he frequently saw her digging through various books whenever she had time apart from the crazy training he made her do. "Why… I'm not sure where you picked that up and how to feel about it." Then, his smile turned smug. "Besides, I'm actually on time. It's just that your watch runs fast."_

 _Saki knew that but wanted to have her fun. She shrugged, her face ever blank. "You can at least play along for a bit. It's not entertaining when only one person is playing."_

" _You and your twisted sense of humor."_

 _He inwardly sighed, wondering where he went wrong when he had finally broken past her barriers and shattered the mask she'd created to protect herself after a month they spent together. Ever since then, Saki had been showing a side of herself that wasn't present before. It was unfortunate she gained a wicked tongue, however. Other than that, she still maintained that calm demeanor._

 _A sharp, childish laugh grabbed Saki's attention._

 _She turned towards the direction of the sound, not noticing her teacher's piqued interest. His attention wasn't on other child though. It was actually on Saki herself. Usually, the girl ignored other people which he really needed to work on. After all, he didn't want to leave her socially inept. Assassins needed to learn how to speak, to lure others into a false sense of security. It was an essential ability to have._

 _I'll start on that first thing tomorrow, he thought._

" _Is something wrong?" God of Death asked, taking in her furrowed eyebrows and the attentive frown. Sometimes, he wondered what went on in her veiled mind._

 _The child took a while to answer, her gaze not moving away from the child who had squealed happily from being hug by both parents. She looked away. "…No."_

 _He stared at her for a moment before he nodded. "If you're sure."_

" _How was the assignment?" inquired Saki, changing the subject. She tried to fight off the self-consciousness, which made her uncomfortable since she wasn't used to feeling this way, without shutting it down like she usually did. It was still strange to allow herself to feel._

" _Fine," he said, "I prefer a quick and clean kill but this time I had no other choice but to use poison. The client wanted the target to suffer before dying."_

 _Saki couldn't help but ask the same question she'd been repeating in the last month, "Why can't I come with you? I thought it would be a given since I'm technically an assassin-in-training."_

 _As if persuade him, she said, "I promise I won't get in your way. You've been teaching me stealth and defense. I can mask my presence very well now, and I'm quick on my feet."_

 _God of Death smiled. "That's not the problem,_ child _." The word 'child' was almost mocking. "You must be prepared in body and soul first before facing someone's demise, let alone carry the burden of being part of that person's death. I know you're nearly there mentally but not physically. Your body was still developing; not to mention a female's body is frail compared to a male's. As your teacher and mentor, it is my responsibility to help you grow into a fine assassin. I can't allow you to come with me whenever I pick up a task. For now, you must wait and be patient. Remember, patience is a virtue. Often, you will receive a reward for it."_

 _She didn't really fully understand his words, too young to comprehend despite her progress in terminology, but was able to grasp only the basic but perhaps most important of the facts._

" _If you say so."_

 _He titled his head, peering at her small form through his calculative eyes. So small… For some reason at this moment, he was seeing her for who she really was. A child, defenseless and easy to kill. But a child with talent. The edge of his lips tugged further. Without realizing it, he patted her head._

 _Saki's eyes widened. She'd gotten to know her teacher well enough, and he wasn't the type to make physical contact on an affectionate or fond level without a purpose behind it. So, she was confused and oddly flustered._

 _Before she could say, do, or think anything, his hand pulled away._

" _Now, let's leave," he said calmly, as if he didn't do anything uncharacteristic of him. "It's best to not linger anymore. I don't want our deceased's friends to catch up to us anytime soon. Mafia has a strange attachment to their own kin. They don't care if they destroy each other but if an outside force does it they rave like mad. I hate to kill if there's no worth."_

 _Saki stared after his descending back for a bit before finally walking after him. She glanced at the children once more._

 _Maybe she was never truly happy – or will never be._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _But she was content._

" _Sensei, let's eat. I'm about to die of hunger. As your only student, I demand food. Oh, and allowance."_

" _Brat, why would I give you any money?"_

" _Didn't I already say it? Wow, I think this is the proof you're getting old. You're losing your hearing. It won't be long until someone finally succeeds in finishing you off._

 _OW!"_

* * *

"You must be Kobayashi Saki, I presume. I welcome you to Kunugigaoka Junior High School. I'm Gakuho Asano, the board chairman of this school. "

The first thought that came to mind was, ' _Ah… he's one of those. A diplomat.'_

"I was pleasantly surprised to hear such promising student as you transferring here. Your grades are splendid, and I heard many positive comments about you from your previous teachers. You'll make an excellent contribution to our school."

His voice was cultured, even, and unfailingly polite. There was a certain deliberateness in his speech as if his words were carefully chosen and uttered. He sat on a leather chair, his chin resting on top of his folded hands. The light coming from the large windows behind him hit his back, shadowing his front. Despite the smile on his face, his unsettling and keen eyes gave away its inauthenticity. The air around him was filled with some kind of odd pressure.

In a way, he reminded her of her own kind, an assassin.

The board chairman grabbed a blue folder from the desk's drawer, flipping through its contents. He let out a thoughtful hum. "Although we're considered a prestigious institute, we rarely get any foreigners. I heard you're half Japanese, and you've been living in England since childhood. I'm curious to know why you've moved to Japan when you were doing very well over there. The academy you were attending is renowned, after all. Not anyone can get in."

He paused, his piercing gaze shifting towards her direction and the edges of his smile sharpening. "If you don't mind, that is."

A part of her wanted to applaud the man; another wanted to point out his fallaciousness. She hadn't expected the board chairman of this school to be sharp. Behind his flattery words, there existed a hidden purpose. The man was suspicious of her origins. He didn't believe the information about her in the documents nor the recommendation letters he'd received applauding her accomplishments, and he was subtlety challenging her.

…He was right to be suspicious, though. They weren't really hers, well, not all of them. In fact, most of the data belonged to someone else who conveniently share her first name. There were some parts edited in order to give light of her character and ability, however.

 _Tao, you perverted-dark rings otaku, you shouldn't have made me seem so exceptional…!_

No matter, she already prepared an answer for this just in case.

Shifting the weight of her right leg to another in a languid manner, Saki met his gaze evenly before tilting head upwards as if considering on where to start.

"I don't mind, sir. I recently found out that my deceased mother was born in this area. I never got to know her since she died straight after my birth, you see. My father never spoke much about her and I didn't encourage him. I only found out about it when I met a good friend of hers; he was kind enough to tell me a lot of things."

She knew that this story was too cheesy and sentimental. But, sometimes one needed to have this kind of past to shut the other up. The person would have no choice but to take up your word because choosing to claim such story as false would do more harm than good. "I came here to see what sort of place she was raised in. It is only a fortunate coincidence that I chose to go here. I heard that this school was founded only 10 years ago. "

The chairman smiled understandingly. "Such a kind son, you are." His face brightened though she could tell it was an act. "I find your devotion quite touching. I'm pleased that you are now one of my students."

Saki just nodded, her face ever blank. She showed no reaction to the word 'son.' After all, 'Kobayashi Saki' was in fact a male. According to the papers, that is.

Her attire was a boy's uniform. Grey trousers. White shirt. A tie nearly wrapped around her next. Her once long, black hair was now cut short. It resembled a raven's nest. She didn't feel particularly sad about it, though. Her head felt especially light compared to before.

Suddenly, the chairman inquired, "But, why 'Kobayashi' and not Heath? That's your mother's maiden name. "

 _How thorough, are you? And what's this... an interrogation about my supposed life?_ A large part of her doubted that he would ask this question to anyone else in her position. It was a little too personal coming from someone who was practically a stranger. _He's trying to discover a fault in my story._

She blinked. "Ah, that's because it's be easier to pronounce. In addition, I guess it's because of sentimentality. I thought sharing the last name would bring me closer to her. I'm sure my father in the afterlife will understand."

Saki knew she should plaster on a sheepish smile but somehow couldn't bring herself to. Despite being raised to wear different expressions for the purpose of fooling others, she had gotten used to her blank look and found difficulty forcing herself to appear otherwise.

Several times, Tao called it her default expression.

 _If Sensei was here, he would scold me._ She firmly ignored the familiar ache in her chest.

Finally, he got off the chair and faced the window, clasping his hands behind his back. "I heard it has only been two months since your father died. Undoubtedly, you're still grieving, and I respect that you're an independent, smart lad. I've been told you became an emancipated minor shortly after the funeral."

He looked over his shoulder at her with a kind smile. The sight almost made her flinch. He almost looked like...

The man continued, "I'll do whatever I can to make you feel comfortable. It must be a big adjustment since you just moved, being surrounded by a different culture than the one you are used to. If you need anything, tell me. It is only right for me to do so since I'm responsible for the welfare of my students."

.

.

.

At her lack of reply, he looked puzzled. Saki's chin was tilted downwards, causing her bangs to mask her eyes. She looked as if she was absent from the room and someplace else.

Before the silence could prolong any longer, a short laugh passed through her lips. It was followed by soft laughter, her shoulders shaking in the process.

The chairman's eyebrows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line. "Is something wrong?"

"No... no. Nothing's wrong. Forgive me. I just... I remembered something." _Someone_. Saki had a look of half wonderment and half astonishment on her face, making her dull green eyes come alive. "It caught me off guard. The foolishness of it." _That's right. It's too foolish. How could this person resemble him, my sensei? The God of Death? It's enough to make me laugh. And yet..._

Realization sunk in. _I see. No wonder a small part of me was starting to enjoy talking to him._

"Once again, I'm sorry for seeming impertinent. I don't mean to offend you," said Saki.

She inhaled a deep breath, trying to gather her composure.

Not good. Not good.

Her killing intent was struggling to leek through. Somewhere, she started thinking if this man could be killed. Was he weaker than her? Was he strong? ...Like _him_? These sort of thoughts began to turn up inside her mind.

 _Stop. You're not here for this. Plus, even if he resembled him a little, he's not an experienced killer. Remember... why you're here._

The light began to fade away from her eyes, dimming into its usual murky color.

He stared at her, his face smoothing back into its faultless mask. "I see."

After a pause, he added, "I'm sure you've went over the pamphlet and researched our school over the web. Tell me, what do you think about our system? It's a little unique compared to what you're accustomed to."

"I don't have an opinion considering I haven't experienced it yet. But, it sounds interesting... 'Class E System.'"

Here, Gakuho Asano's purple eyes flashed eerie red. They were saying, 'I don't know what you are up to but if you become a hindrance to my goals, I won't let you do as you please. Let yourself be warned.'

"You'll see that it's more than interesting soon enough. You might find it _simulating_."

* * *

The first part of the plan was set into motion.

A boy on the other side of the comm grinned.

* * *

 **End Notes - A interesting conversation between Gakuho Asano and Saki who meet for the first time. They exchange words of hidden meanings, sort of like mind-power play. The board chairman has no idea what's Saki's purpose in his school but believes it involves Koro-sensei. Thus, he is trying to figure her out.**

 **A person named Tao has been mentioned in this chapter. Also, he is shortly introduced at the end. For those who don't know, 'comm' is a communication device. Saki has one in her ear so he was listening in the whole time.**

 **Next Chapter: Gakushu Asano and Class 3-A students' appearances**


	3. An Anomaly among Elites

**A/N: I absolutely love the reviews. Once again, thanks so much. They are very much appreciated.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own AC.**

 **Chapter 2: An Anomaly among Elites**

 **"We still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly."**

 **\- Margaret Atwood**

* * *

When the raven-haired girl closed the double doors, a soft sigh escaped through her lips. For a while, she just stood there, holding onto the handle albeit lightly.

" _You know, you could've sounded more earnest_."

At the sound of Tao's voice, Saki straightened up and took several steps away from the doors. Tilting her head, she placed a finger over her ear where the comm device nestled. Her gaze glanced at both sides of the hallway for people and found no one.

She spoke freely. "Ah, really? I thought I was doing a fine job."

" _If you mean by your monotonous explanation and a random burst of laughter at the worst time possible, yes, what a 'fine' performance indeed._ " His words were laced with sarcasm and annoyance but there was no real bite in his tone. " _Normally, no orphan would laugh at the reminder of his or her parent's passing. I have no clue what you were thinking, Sa-chan._ "

A nonchalant shrug was her reply. She couldn't help it at the time. But, she had to admit it was her mistake.

" _You must realize, too, he's cautious of us now – well, you._ "

"He already was, Tao. You listened to him."

" _I mean more than before, although I doubt he has an actual clue what our purpose is. We'll be under his surveillance which limits most of your actions._ "

Saki let out a thoughtful hum. "What's done is done. I doubt stressing over it will do any good. Besides, I don't think even a talented actor or actress could've passed through his eyes that easily."

" _Oh? How rare… I didn't think I would hear you compliment someone – least of all, a civilian._ "

The corner of her lips quirked upwards. "Do you honestly believe that?" Her gaze slightly narrowed. "He's no simple civilian."

Tao let out a bark of laughter. Saki privately wondered (this was not the first time she thought this) how he could alter his behavior so quickly. He sometimes acted like a female, more than her, with his mood-changing tendencies. " _Yeah, I guessed that when I learned he extorted money from the government in exchange for assassination to be conducted in Class E. He's more of a devil, I say."_

She blinked. The last line sparked a familiarity in her. An image of man with a hollow smile and blood-soaked shoes flashed before her eyes. "Maybe."

Amused, she finished, "But, what would that make us?"

" _True, true. Honestly, I thought it was funny when he threatened you. The last person who tried that…_ "

She remained unfazed as Tao chuckled nervously, obviously reminiscing about a clueless thug who had no sense of danger. The poor fool didn't realize that he had already been sliced the second he finished his sentence.

"He's an odd one, though," mused Saki, leaning against the wall. Her arms were crossed over her bandaged chest. "The aura I felt from him was that of an assassin's. But there is no way he is one. Considering, you checked his background thoroughly without leaving anything out and found nothing that points him to being a killer. A politician, maybe, but no killer."

"… _I don't know if you're pleased or disappointed._ "

Her eyes flickered. "Neither."

There was a pause. Saki sensed his hesitation before he spoke. " _I know you're capable and all. But, try not to stand out. Just follow what the others are doing."_ The sound of him rustling his hair crackled through the comm. _"I was undecided about this at the beginning because you're not the type to follow rules – much less able to act like an ordinary student for a long period. If I had a choice, I would prefer you not attending there._ "

"I know what I'm doing," she assured him.

"… _When you say that, I guess I'll trust you. It's too late to back down anyways._ "

She pursed her lips. It was never about being late or early. _The end justifies the means._

" _I already had someone attached cameras around the mountain,_ " he continued. " _But, they are not close to the building. I didn't want that – well – thing and the agent to notice. Although I don't know about the bait, I do know that man – Karasuma – has eyes trained for this kind of stuffs. I'll keep you informed if something happens._ " If _he_ comes…

"Alright," said Saki. In her mind, she confirmed, 'When he comes…'

The sound of footsteps drawing near drew her attention. Pulling away from the wall, she turned to the figure of a skinny man coming towards her direction. In a low voice, she said, "Looks like my escort has finally arrived. I'll talk to you later."

" _'Kay, for now I'll sit back and enjoy the show._ "

She would have snorted if the man hadn't reached her sooner. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his plumped lips stretched into an apologetic smile. This was her teacher...? She wasn't impressed but stretched out her hand for him to shake out of courtesy.

"You must be Kobayashi-kun. I apologize for the delay," he greeted, taking her hand in his own. "I was out of the faculty's office when the chairman called for me. Thankfully, one of the teachers was able to reach me by phone."

She felt a tinge of disgust at the touch of his sweaty palm but didn't show it on her face. Detaching her hand, she discreetly wiped it on the back of her pants. "It's alright. I wasn't waiting long."

"Really? That's great. I'm Sato Eichi, by the way, the homeroom teacher of Class 3-A. I'll be taking you to your class. Follow me, please." He pointed his finger to the route he came from.

On their way to the classroom, Sato kept on talking on and on about how it was privilege for students to be going here. He praised the school for it's reputation, stating that it was well-known for being one of the top schools in all of Tokyo. She expertly ignored his rambling, keeping her pace a few feet behind him. In her mind, she was reviewing the blueprint of the main building.

The hallways were empty because classes were about to start any minute. There would normally be few students lingering around, not caring if they'll be tardy, but she found none. This observation gave Saki a small insight to how this place works. From what she gathered, Asano Gakuho was a man of principles. He was used to having control and didn't take lightly if someone tested it. With him as the board chairman, it was evident that he would undoubtedly make everyone subservient to him, whether they didn't realize it themselves. The 'Class E System' was a method to utilize his control of both faculty and students.

 _I feel somewhat sad for them... No freedom whatsoever._

The bell rang when they reached their destination.

Sato instructed her to wait for him to call her before heading inside. Although she knew that this was normally expected, she pondered why she couldn't just go in with him and introduce herself. There was no point standing outside.

"So weird," murmured Saki, tilting her head.

OOO

"My name is Kobayashi Saki. I recently moved from England. Nice to meet you."

 _Thump_.

 _Thump_.

 _Thump_.

Asano Gakushu drummed his fingers against his desk, a small frown adoring his face. The whole scene was wrong. It was unexpected. No one heard about the transfer student, so everyone was taken aback ( _even_ him) when their teacher called him in. His classmates whispered behind him, voicing their surprise and opinion of the new arrival.

"Silence. Silence, everyone," commanded Sato, annoyance creeping into his voice.

The class calmed but some looked itching for answers.

He knew he was. How come his _father_ didn't tell him about this? He tried to squash the frustration building inside him but was half-successful. The only indication of his foul mood was the gritting of his teeth and the edges of his lips tugging downwards.

"I know this is very sudden," stated the teacher, "however, I hope you will make him feel welcomed. He, like you, has a bright future in front of him. Kobayashi-kun transferred from another prestigious school in England. During the finals of last year, he was in the top 5. It is our gain that we acquired such student."

Gakushu raised an eyebrow, peering at the small figure, who was absentmindedly staring at the ceiling, through his indigo eyes. The boy looked as if his mind was somewhere else, almost distant. ...Was he truly that intelligent?

One classmate was unable to keep his silence, too curious not to ask. "Are you fully Japanese? I mean, your name obviously is but you have that foreigner's look."

Sato looked as if he was about to reprimand him but stopped. He too was curious of the answer as he stared at raven-haired boy.

Gakushu had noticed several features of Kobayashi Saki's face that didn't seem quite Asian. Though the boy's eyes were squinted, they also appeared round. His skin were fairer than the girls' in his class, and his cheeks weren't prominent as most were.

"I'm half-British," was his simple reply. He said it in a way that made the fact seem nothing too special. Kobayashi shifted his eyes towards the class though not on one individually. He looked as if he wanted to yawn.

There was this awkward silence after his indifferent response. His idiotic classmates had now noticed the transfer student's nonchalance and felt uncomfortable. Few girls shot him admiring looks, and some boys looked irked.

Sato smiled, a bit nervous. "Ah... you may go sit down at the back by the window. Miura-san, can you share your books with him?"

"H-hai!"

Because Gakushu sat at the front, he was unable to see the girl's expression. But, even without looking, he could already tell that her cheeks were flushed judging by her nervous reply. How pathetic...

Kobayashi started towards his seat, passing him. His unruly, black hair rustled at the movement.

For the first time since the boy's appearance, his disgruntlement fell. It was soon replaced by puzzlement. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing at his back.

How strange… Perhaps, he was the only one who took notice of it or cared. But, the manner the transfer student walked raised his scrutiny: soundless, no unnecessary movement, and graceful.

There was something off about Kobayashi Saki.

And, Gakushu had an inkling that his father knew something about him he didn't.

 _First Class 3-E… and now this._

It was too much of a coincidence.

 _._

 _._

 _._

Just what was he hiding?

OOO

The girl - Miura, was it? - fidgeted in her seat, her face pink. She clearly was unsettled by their close proximity. Their desks touched each other, the history book opened in the middle. There was only Sato's voice filling the classroom. He droned on about a past shogun, retainers, and their glory.

Saki's gaze shifted from the pages to the classmates sitting in front of her. They remained focus, all of their heads tilting downwards and facing their desks. The pencils gripped tightly in their hands moved across their notebooks, and the chalkboard was loaded with words as the teacher wrote and erased in a consistent manner.

Nobody dozed off. None appeared distracted - except for her seatmate. Instead, most looked determined.

 _Hmm... I see._

She rested her cheek on her hand, her dark fringes swaying across her forehead.

For the whole first period, there was no change.

 _How boring._ _All of them._

"A-Aren't you going to take notes?"

She glanced at Miura. The girl was writing in her notebook, her eyes frantically glancing between the page and the chalkboard. The teacher had wiped half of the board, and she was despondent. The girl, most likely, wasn't able to finish writing before it was erased.

"Nope," Saki answered. She turned towards the window, eyeing the blue sky.

Miura faltered. Her hand stopped moving.

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Because there is no point.

A frown touched Miura's lips. "...No point?"

"Yeah, no point."

OOO

The bell rang, announcing the end of the period. The teacher gathered his things and walked out. After he left, the students began to rise.

When most of the girls and boys turned to the direction of the back towards a certain area, they blinked at the sight of an empty seat.

"Where did he go?"

"When did he _even_ leave?"

"Aww, I wanted to talk to him!"

Gakushu ignored the chatters and shot Ren, who came to his side, a look. "You're seated by the back door. Did you see him exit?"

Ren shook his head, looking a bit confused. He ran his hand through his locks. "No, I didn't. I didn't even _hear_ him leave."

OOO

The board chairman was looking through some documents when he heard someone knock his door. Gathering the paper in a neat file, he stored them in a folder and put it away.

"Come in."

The doors opened, revealing a student. She looked nervous, glancing about his office like a frightened rabbit who found herself in a predator's domain. The girl took hesitant steps forward, playing with her fingers.

His facial features intentionally softened. He hoped the child wouldn't collapse out of nervous breakdown before they could even talk.

The girl naively relaxed at his expression, her face losing some of its redness. She couldn't quite meet his gaze, however. "I heard you asked for me?"

"Ah, yes," said Asano, smiling with his eyes closed. "I was hoping you could do me a favor.

It's about a certain transfer student…"

OOO

 _When Saki turned towards the exit, the chairman's voice made her pause._

 _"The pupils of this school are diligently preparing themselves for the future. They are going to be the future of our country. Although you just transferred, you're now a Kunugigaoka student. I will be expecting lot of things from you, Kobayashi-kun. Otherwise, I would be terribly disappointed."_

 _His words rang with warning, cautioning her to tread carefully._

 _A small smile made its way across her face. It soon disappeared as her eyes hardened._

" _I will keep that in mind."_

 _There was nothing but silence in the room after the doors shut._

* * *

 **End Notes - What is your impression of Saki? In your mind, how do you see her? I would love to know. :)**


End file.
